Bitter Taste of Karma
by numberoneklutz
Summary: Fed up with Draco's callous insensitivity of her feelings and his constant infidelity, Hermione decides to end their secret relationship...Draco is not pleased, especially when others begin pursuing HIS witch.
1. Chapter 1

**My writing thus far has consisted solely of Sakura-centric Naruto fanfics, so I thought I'd broaden my horizons a bit by **

**branching out into Hermione-centric Harry Potter fanfics.**

**I'm not a hundred percent sure I haven't made some character(s) outlandishly OOC.**

**Eh, but that's the beauty of fanfics isn't it?**

**To mold characters and situations into anything that suits your fancy?**

**Well, enough of my ramblings.**

**On with the story!**

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_**Disclaimer: **I'm not too sure why I'm even putting this up. I mean, seriously, if I owned Harry Potter, Hermione would have her __own harem. But, to ward off any possible legal complications, I, regrettably, do NOT own Harry Potter in any form or fashion._

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Hermione narrowed flashing amber eyes on the nonchalant male in front of her, fury at his indifference towards the situation coursing violently through her veins.

How _dare_ the bastard stand there calmly gazing back at her after the little stunt he had just pulled?!

Was he really _that_ much of an egotistical asshole?!

Did he really believe himself _entitled_ to act the way he just had?!

Deciding to ponder the ferret's arrogance later, preferably _after_ she had beaten him to a bloody pulp, she pinned the unrepentant male with a hard glare.

"What the _hell_," she asked through clenched teeth,"was **that** ?"

Draco -the _**asshole**_!- actually had the _gall_ to look confused.

"I'm afraid," he drawled, while cautiously gauging her reaction, "I haven't the _slightest_ idea what the bloody hell you're talking about."

_**"No ide-!" **_She abruptly cut herself off.

Taking a deep -cleansing- breath, she managed to respond in a significantly more composed voice. "Since," amber darkened, "you seem to have recently developed a case of selective amnesia, let me remind you of your actions _dearest_."

The endearment was scathingly growled, more closely resembling a curse.

"You," rage radiated off the petite female in suffocating waves, "_apparently_ felt at liberty to _**make out **_with Parkinson." Eyes crackling in anger, she continued, "And you did this in _**my**_ presence!"

The infuriated brunette roughly shoved the blonde against the wall. "Did you even stop to _think _how that made me feel?" She looked straight into his startled eyes. "Well, _did you_?!" she demanded.

"Hermione, you do-"

She cut him off with an impatient hand.

"This isn't the first time you've done this." Her raging eyes misted with supressed tears, "You do this _all_ the bloody time Draco, and I'm _**sick**_of it."

The Slytherin felt his own ire begin to rise. _Why_ he questioned angrily to himself _is she getting so emotional over this? _Those girls were just a cover for him, she should know better than to get so worked up about it!

He smoothly removed himself from the wall, effortlessly looming over the much smaller female. He took in her hurt expression and her flaming eyes and felt irritation seize him. _Why is she being so __**fucking**__ thoughtless? _

They couldn't just waltz about proclaiming their love to one another damn it! They were Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, the present-day embodiments of light and dark, purity and corruption, good and evil!

Both had unseverable ties to opposing sides, sides that would not be happy to find they were together; sides that were not adverse to using violence.

If their relationship were discovered…

"You know _damn_ well I have to in order to keep up appearances." His silver eyes flashed in annoyance, "You _know _how much shit we'd have to deal with if _anyone_ found out about us."

"I fucking know that damnit!" she quickly turned her back to him to hide the turmoil on her face. In a whisper, she softly repeated, "I _know _that."

Yes, she knew that all too well. Voldemort may have been killed, but the war still raged on. Their futures remained uncertain, it would be sheer stupidity for them to include more complications in their lives…especially if the complications could so easily be avoided.

So what if her boyfriend had to flirt, snog, and even occasionally shag with another girl to keep up the illusion that he was single?

It kept them free of suspicion, so _really_ there was no harm done…right?

Except…there was.

Every time he gave of himself so freely to another female, and she was forced to watch powerless from the sidelines, she felt her heart break just a little more.

She'd become so embittered, so obsessively jealous, that she sometimes couldn't recognize herself.

Was this relationship _really _worth losing herself?

Was having her heart trampled daily _really_ such a small price to pay for being Draco's girlfriend?

I mean, they loved each other and that was all that mattered…right?

Hermione squeezed tortured eyes shut, unable to delude herself into believing that anymore. In fact, if she was brutally honest with herself, she didn't even know if she still _liked _Draco.

He was _far_ too accepting of their situation. The blonde even seemed to _enjoy_ the fact that he had to mess around with other women.

_Never_, in all the time they had been together, had he expressed even the tiniest hint of remorse for being obligated to cheat on her.

Could she truly be in love with such a man?

She wasn't sure…not anymore.

_No good _she forlornly realized _can come out of this. _A healthy relationship should strengthen and improve the individuals in them. Their's…their's did the complete opposite.

_This_ she thought while fighting back tears _has to end_.

Steeling her features, the resolute witch turned back to him.

Draco, seeing her calm state, took the opportunity to attempt pacifying her. "You know I love you," sincere silver bore into her, "_only_ you."

Mistaking her silence as acceptance, he forged on, firmly taking hold of her shoulders, "Those girls mean _nothing_ to me 'Mione," his warm voice gently coaxed her to forgive him.

Unfortunately for him, she had already decided to give him up.

Shrugging his hands off dismissively, she raised a carefully blank face towards him. "I think," she paused, trying to word the sentence appropriately, "we should end this _thing_ between us."

His eyes instantly flashed to her's.

"_**Thing**__?_" he stared incredulously, and furiously, at her. "What we have is not a _thing_," he growled, "it's a _relationship_."

She shook her head. "No Draco," shielded amber pools met blazing silver, "this," she swept a hand between them, "stopped being a relationship a long time ago. Sometimes," she mused aloud while gazing absently in the distance, "I wonder if it ever _was_ one."

The first traces of panic bubbling up inside him, he angrily snapped, "Of course it was!" He pulled her forcibly against him, "It still is! You listen you stubbo-"

Tired of argueing with a man she wasn't even positive she still had any feelings for, she -with a strong shove- extricated herself from his grasp.

"No," she quietly rebuked, "_you_ listen." All previous rage draining from her, she rubbed a weary hand against her forehead. "This isn't working Draco," she ignored his sharp protests, "surely you can see that. If we continue," a resigned sigh escaped her lips, "if we continue, we'll only end up hating each other."

Draco's face became shadowed.

"Don't be _stupid_," the intensity in his low voice raised goosebumps on her skin, "you're the _only _thing in my godforsaken life that has _any_ **fucking** meaning. You," silver darkened to a stormy charcoal, "are sorely mistaken if you think I'll _**ever**_ let you go."

"And you," and indecipherable flicker passed through her eyes, "are foolish if you think you have anything left to hold on to."

She gave him a tired smile. "There are plenty of girls out there Draco," the smile turned slightly bitter as she softly continued, "_you _shouldn't have any trouble finding one to take my place. So just…just leave me alone."

Casting a quick immobilizing spell on the distracted male as he opened his mouth to furiously object, she turned and slowly walked away.

She never looked back.

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…**I really have nothing useful or informative to say.**

**Later.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm liking how this fic is turning out.**

**I intend for this story to wrap itself up in a couple of chapters.**

**But then again, none of my stories have gone as I intended them to…**

**I mean, _Forgive and Forget? _was originally suppose to be a one-shot.**

**So, bullocks to planning anything in my writing.**

**I'll just see how this fic plays out.**

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Hermione hummed lightly as she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry and Ron, for reasons beyond her comprehension, had decided to wake up at the crack of dawn that morning.

Though not entirely certain, the brunette strongly suspected it had something to do with Ravenclaw's early quidditch practice that day.

Harry's tendency to stalk Cho was just sad sometimes.

So, since the two had gone on ahead, she had allowed herself to be caught up in a large group of Gryffindors heading to breakfast.

Not feeling any particular inclination to talk to anyone around her at the moment, she allowed her mind to drift, musing over the changes her life had recently undergone.

Life without a cheating, arrogant, Slytherin boyfriend was, as Hermione had discovered, much simpler. She no longer had any claim over Draco, so the desire to go on a murderous rampage every time a girl squealed about, or fawned over, him completely disappeared.

So _what_ if the bloody ferret was shagging a different girl every hour?

It's not like he was her boyfriend or anything.

She was, at long last, at peace.

Draco's infidelity, quite simply, was no longer her problem since their breakup three weeks ago, so she was now free to concentrate on the more important things in her life.

Namely, her friends.

Her social life, which had suffered during her time with the Malfoy heir, flourished now that she was no longer so moody and disagreeable…now that she was no longer so miserable.

The friends she had neglected welcomed back the old Hermione with open arms, easily forgiving her past remoteness towards them.

She, however, spared no effort to make it up to them. Her guilty conscious, weighing her down with excruciating remorse, wouldn't allow her to do otherwise.

Sure, she had never stopped aiding in the war, but that was where her interaction with her loved ones had stopped.

The muggleborn witch had routinely rebuked all their attempts at socializing with her during her three month stint as Draco's girlfriend, something she deeply regretted.

_How_ could she have been so distant towards those so close to her heart?

Even Harry and Ron, who she valued more than life itself, had been disregarded.

She had been so wrapped up in her doomed relationship that she had been oblivious to the pain she was causing her two dearest friends. The two people in the world who would move the heavens themselves for her.

It was a mistake she vowed to _never_ repeat.

Shaking her head to clear it of her reminiscing, she was surprised to see she had already arrived at the Gryffindor table.

_Note to self _she thought in amusement _never become lost in thought while walking_.

"Morning 'Mione," Harry grinned broadly at her, "how's my favorite witch this morning?"

Lips twitching madly in an effort not to smile, she airily replied, "I wouldn't know, I haven't seen Cho today."

The bespeckled wizard immediately sputtered indignantly as he scrambled for a comeback, a comeback that never quite came out intelligible. "Well-! You can just-! Um…yeah."

Ron guwaffed heartily at Harry's resulting blush. "She," he wheezed between laughs, "got you _good _Harry."

Muttering something about backstabbing mates, the ravenette sent a playful glare her way. "I meant _you_."

Widening her eyes in mock astonishment and pasting on a scandalized expression, she stuttered in an overly feminine tone, "Why Harry! I-I never knew you felt _that_ way about me!"

Rolling emerald eyes, and simultaneously releasing a long suffering sigh, he drawled dryly, "Yes 'Mione, it has been one of my best kept secrets. Now" he threw her an exasperated glance, "for Merlin's sake, would you just sit down."

Plopping down in her customary seat between her two boys, she gave Harry an affectionate one-arm hug. "Have I ever told you," she asked wryly," that you are an absolute romantic? I mean that confession of your undying devotion nearly _blew_ me away."

Giving her a fond pat on the head, he warmly acknowledged her praise. "I know, my magnificence in all things astounds even _me_ at times."

Ron snorted in his pumpkin juice. "Yeah, and you're _so _humble too."

This comment, of course, only encouraged Harry further.

Nodding sagely in acknowledgement of Ron's words, he solemnly replied, "It's not easy being so perfect all the time; it's a gift that carries many responsibilities."

Ron arched a brow, "And _you_ would know this because?"

And then…the two were off, brazenly challenging each other in a battle of wits.

_They are both _Hermione mused with a mental chuckle _woefully unarmed_.

Content amber eyes softened as she watched the two playfully bicker. _How, _she wondered, had she gone so long without them?

They were her best friends, her rock when life spun out of control, her strength when she faltered; they were her soul mates.

Those two brought out the best in her, never failing in their duty as her better halves…or, well, thirds if one was to be technical about it.

_They_ she thought as she watched Harry and Ron's pancake scarfing contest _are my sanity_.

She couldn't imagine her life without them.

Feeling the weight of her gaze, they turned towards her. "Why so serious all of a sudden 'Mione?" Ron asked while prodding her arm lightly. "Are you feeling sick or something?"

She waved aside their concerned eyes and batted Ron's intruding finger away. "I'm _fine_ guys."

"Then what," Harry questioned while laying a hand on her forehead, "has you thinking so hard?"

Gently removing his hand, her lips quirked into a smile. "I was simply pondering how awful life would be without you two around to muck everything up."

Harry shot her a sardonic look, "I'm touched 'Mione, _really_ I am. It's good to know you have such a high opinion of us."

She promptly elbowed him.

"Personally," Ron's unconcerned voice quipped, "I find that thought completely ridiculous." He pulled Hermione towards him in an engulfing bear hug, "We'll always be there 'Mione…whether you want us to be or not."

"I agree," Harry tugged a little in order to hug her as well, "after all, any self-respecting trio knows it has to stick together."

Wrapping her arms around her two best friends, she couldn't help but smile. "You're absolutely right," she let out a sigh of happiness, "I was just being silly."

"You're forgiven, however," Ron gazed hungrily at the slices of bacon still on her plate, "you must give me all your bacon as punishment."

"Hey!" Harry shot an indignant look at the redhead. "What about _me_?!"

The addressed male, already scarfing down the pieces of meat, gave a dismissive shrug.

Harry's displeasure increased.

Sensing the baleful eyes still glaring at him, Ron unapologetically gave the scarred hero a suggestion, "Find your own bacon."

Immediately after, a fight -full of menacingly brandished forks and forceful spoon jabs- erupted between the two with Hermione reluctantly acting as referee.

_Just another day _she thought in complete contentment.

Too caught up in their camaraderie, the Golden Trio never noticed the threatening pair of silver eyes trained in their direction.

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**I really didn't want this chapter to be so short, but everything else I wrote doesn't tie in!**

**It's very frustrating.**

**So, I'm just going to have to put all that other stuff in the next chapter.**

**Eh, so much for my plan to make longer chapters.**

**Later.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm starting to think my account's possessed****.**

**Seriously.**

**Now, in addition to not letting my read my reviews, it apparently randomly deletes chapters.**

**That's the reason I have to repost this.**

**So, if you've already read this chapter, there's no reason to reread.**

**It's the same thing.**

**Oh, by the way, I think I'll stick with short chapters for this story, so don't expect longer updates in the future.**

**Shorter just works better for me in this fic.**

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Elegant male hands tightened into white-knuckled fists; their glowering owner, too focused on the Gryffindor table, failed to take note of them.

They, however, did not escape the notice of his blue-eyed best friend.

"Something troubling you Draco?" he questioned, taking care to keep his tone casual.

The blonde did not spare the other male a glance. "_What_," he snarled, "makes you think _**anything**_is wrong?"

His housemate raised an ebony brow. "Oh, I don't know," sarcasm thickly coated his words, "_maybe_ the fact that you haven't stopped glaring murderously at the wonder duo and Hermione since you've sat down?"

Silver eyes snapped towards the male at the mention of Hermione's name, entirely disregarding everything else said. "_How_," he asked in a deadly whisper, "do you know Granger, Zabini?"

Startled by the malice dripping from the Malfoy heir's voice, Blaise thought is wise to answer the temperamental man quickly.

"We often work together in some of our classes, and," he glanced curiously at the blonde, inwardly wondering why the Slytherin King was so interested in Gryffindor's Princess, "we study together frequently."

Draco's face darkened.

"Why the _hell_," he quietly growled, "are you spending so much time with _her_?" Silver pools of malice pinned the baffled ravenette with a hard glower. "You _do_ know she's a _**mudblood **_don't you?"

Blaise's bafflement turned to irritation. "Yes, Draco, I do know she's a _muggleborn_. What I fail to understand, however," he sent an inquiring gaze towards the blonde, "is why it should be any of your business who I choose to spend my personal time with."

The azure-eyed man's defense of Hermione only further angered the Malfoy heir. "Do you _love_ her Zabini?" he scoffed in revulsion. "Is that why you're defending her?" Sneering at the other Slytherin, he coldly drawled, "You disgust me."

Blaise's volatile temper had had enough.

"_What_ the _**fuck**_ are you on about Malfoy?" Furious sapphire blazed at equally furious silver. "I don't give a _damn_ about blood and I know you don't either, so what's with this bullshit?"

The Zabini male gave Draco a piercing glare, "And don't _ever_ demean Hermione in front of me again, she's decent company and a brilliant woman to work with." His azure eyes became protective, "She's worthy of respect."

Draco's own temper, fueled by jealous rage, snapped.

"So I _was _right," he snarled, shoving his wand in Blaise's chest, "you _do_ love her!"

Shoving his own wand towards the enraged male, Blaise snarled -unthinkingly- back, "So _**what **_if I _do_? It's _none_ of your _**damned**_ business!"

Near mindless with rage, Draco responded, "_None _of my business?!" He pressed his wand harder, "_I'll_ decide whether or not it's any of my _**fucking**_ business!"

Theodore, concerned over the violence that could erupt between two of his closest friends, hesitantly tried to intervene. "Calm down guys, you're making a scene," the males, quivering with fury, ignored him.

Just when a brawl between the two seemed inevitable, an offhand murmur from a neighboring Slytherin immediately captured their attention, inadvertently diffusing the situation.

"I wonder," a sixth year said thoughtfully,"why Granger is leaving with those three Ravenclaws."

Two heads immediately whipped in the direction of the Gryffindor table.

Sure enough, Hermione was cheerfully dismissing herself from her two friends while Boot, Corner, and Goldstein waited patiently beside her.

_They_ Draco though murderously _are standing entirely __**too **__close to her._

Zabini, if his flashing eyes were any indication, had similar thoughts.

It was only when the quartet started moving towards the doors that the two purebloods stopped their glowering and sprang into action.

Hastily standing from his seat, Draco brusquely muttered, "I'm going ahead to class." Disregarding his surprised housemates -there was still about an hour left for breakfast- he strode away from his table, fully intent on catching up to the four.

Still unsettled from his earlier -unintentional- confession, Blaise muttered an incoherent excuse and quickly followed suit.

A confused Theodore was left standing before the two recently vacated seats. _Did I _he wondered bewilderedly _miss something?_

He strongly suspected so, since he currently found himself at a complete loss. Seriously, since when had _Draco_ been so concerned about making it to class on time?

As far back as he could remember, the blonde had always breezed into his classrooms mere seconds before class started. So why the break from his routine now?

It just didn't make any sense.

And Blaise, what the hell had _him_ so unsettled? The man normally had unshakeable composure; well, unless something provoked his anger. He, however, had _never_ seemed this thrown off balance.

He turned an inquiring gaze towards the nearby Slytherins. "Hey, do any of you have a clue what those two were arguing over?"

Contemplative silence was his only response for a few moments. "I think," a seventh year girl finally offered hesitantly, "it was over a Griffindor girl."

_A girl _Theodore hastily moved to conceal his shock _they were fighting over a __**girl**__?! _

Draco and Blaise, both certified ladies men and surrogate brothers, fighting over _one_ girl? He just couldn't wrap his mind around it, it was just too bizarre. _Especially_ since it seemed they were quite willing to come to blows over it.

He hadn't even known either of them was serious about anyone!

And it seemed she was a _Griffindor_ to boot. Slowly returning to his original seat, he pondered over this new information. What girl, he mused, was so special that she could capture the attentions of _both_ Malfoy and Zabini?

Despite how hard he tried to come up with suspects, he just kept coming up with blanks.

_The only girls I can think of are that Weasley girl and Granger _he shook his head inwardly _and that's just impossible! _

That little redhead was currently dating McMillan, and happily satisfied in the relationship it seemed. Besides, those two had never spent any considerable amount of time with the girl, or even really shown interest in her; as for Granger…well surely those two possessed a greater sense of self-preservation than to attempt _that_.

The Griffindor Princess was off-limits, _everybody _knew that; especially so to anyone with ties, past or present, to death eaters.

Even if someone managed to get past her two overprotective bodyguards and the entire tower full of overzealous Griffindors, they still had to deal with Granger herself, and _she _was no pushover.

So who did that leave?

Theodore grit his teeth in frustration. _There's no way _he thought _I'm going to solve this on my own. _

And this problem _needed _to be solved, as quickly as possible. Times were still dangerous, those two couldn't afford to be so distracted…or to make enemies of each other; especially not over some _girl._

So it fell onto him to rectify the situation.

He would discover the identity of the female, convince -or force if necessary- her to back off, and then make Malfoy and Zabini see how foolish their actions were. It was his duty as their friend.

_It's time _he thought with a glint in his eyes _to call in some favors_.

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**I'm not entirely sure whether to make this strictly Hermione/Draco or not.**

**Decisions, decisions.**

**For now treat this story as a sort of Hermione/harem type fic.**

**For all _I_ know it could very well end up one.**

**Later.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, it's been a while since I've posted, well, anything.**

**To tell the truth, my recent inactiveness is not entirely due to being swamped.**

**It is, rather, due to a severe case of writer's block.**

**I've just seemed to have lost my creative spark.**

**Some of it, however, has wandered back.**

**So, perhaps, I'll finally be able to update some of my other stories soon.**

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"This," Hermione stated with brows furrowed in confusion, "wasn't suppose to happen." She looked up from the cauldron, gaze inward as she tried to theorize the reason behind their most recent setback. "Didn't our research," she mused aloud, "indicate that the liquid would turn clear?"

"Yes, it did," an equally perplexed Terry murmured beside her.

"So what the bloody hell," Michael huffed as he glared venomously at the smoking contents, "is _this_?"

"That, Corner," Anthony replied while peering closely at the solution, "is a very good question."

The brunnette witch ran a frustrated hand through her slightly frizzy curls. _I can't believe we botched this up __**so**__ close to its completion! _she thought angrily. _How could we be so bloody daft!_

They'd been working on this shielding potion for nearly a month, and they'd been _so_ close to finishing it, _**so**_ close to providing Order members with some protection from surprise attacks_. _

And now _this _happened.

The Order _needed _this potion. Now that Voldemort was gone, his diminished followers had taken to employing guerrilla tactics. Instead of the direct assaults of their earlier days, they now relied heavily on surprise attacks and ambushes; their usual victims being lone members or small groups.

Many members of the Order, taken by surprise and hexed in these attacks before they could so much as draw their wands, had been killed as a result.

And they'd been _so_ close to remedying the situation, so _**bloody**_ close.

But then they'd somehow managed to fuck it up.

Taking a deep, calming, breath, Hermione closed her eyes and mentally, and unhurriedly, counted to five. In her present state, there was no way in hell she was capable of resolving anything; so, in order to fix this, she first need to clear her mind.

**One.**

_Anger's not going to solve this._

She forced her tense shoulders to loosen and rolled them slowly to get rid of any remaining kinks. Hearing the tell-tale sound of soft pops, she allowed them to simply relax.

**Two.**

_I have to focus on what could have gone wrong._

She gently craned her neck in both directions, letting the soft pops release her pent up frustration.

**Three.**

_Study the facts, Hermione, there's got to be something you're missing._

She lightly drummed the desk before her with her fingers, using the repetitive rhythm to fall into a self-induced meditative haze.

**Four.**

_Review the brewing process, how did it differ from methods found in our research?_

She mentally envisioned every step they'd taken and compared it to the findings from their research. Meticulously sifting through the data banks in her mind, she carefully analyzed their procedures.

**Five.**

_Find the cause and __**fix**__ it._

She felt herself sink deeper into the recesses of her mind. It was on the tip of her tongue, she _almost_ had it. Hermione forced herself to burrow deeper.

Almost there, almost there, almost there, almost there, almost…

**There**.

Amber eyes snapped open, their owner already calling herself a million kinds of stupid for not realizing the problem sooner.

A bemused Terry viewed the angrily muttering female as she bustled around the room collecting ingredients. "So," he questioned in a laughter laced tone, "did you discover the problem?" He didn't move to help her or push for the solution to the problem, knowing all too well that it was wise to just let her vent for a while.

She didn't give any sign of having heard him; whether from true or feigned inattention, he wasn't certain.

"Of course she has mate," Goldstein replied cheerfully beside him, "why else would she be throwing such a hissy fit?"

Michael chuckled as he viewed Hermione violently dicing a hapless pair of roots, "you know she never gets like this unless she feels she's been played the fool." He smiled fondly as he heard her mumble a particularly foul curse, "never mind the fact that this potion's never been done, she's still pissed we didn't get it right the first time."

Terry's question, though it had been answered, had really been a rhetorical one. He had worked with Hermione long enough to familiarize himself with her thought process and work habits.

He wouldn't still be her partner if he hadn't.

He allowed his mind to momentarily wander as he studied the still fuming Gryffindor. _To think _he mused _it's been nearly four years since I started working with 'Mione_.

He still wasn't quite sure what had caused her to include him in her work. Regardless of the reason, however, she had in the second semester of their third year.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that she didn't have to explain everything to him; all she had to do was give him a general direction and he would quickly understand what she was trying to do.

At first, it had just been Hermione and him, but, someway or another, Goldstein and Corner had gradually wormed their way in as well.

Terry looked at their little group with warm eyes. _We_ he thought it good natured self-mockery _are unalterably nerdy_.

And they were proud of it, the four had become so accustomed to one another, so reliant, that they planned to continue their work by opening a research and development facility after their graduation.

They just meshed so well academically and personality wise that they couldn't bring themselves to disband their team. That, added to the fact that their work was often groundbreaking in one or more fields of study, just made it illogical for them to split up.

After shaking his head lightly to reign in his wandering mind, he noticed that Hermione had finished her tantrum.

Cautiously approaching the significantly calmer witch, Anthony hesitantly questioned her. "So," wary eyes regarded her still cross expression, "where did we go wrong?"

The brunette female, in typical Hermione form, refused to just hand over the answer; she wanted them to come to the same conclusion themselves. She wanted them to _think_.

"Where," she asked curtly, completely disregarding the earlier question, "are the only areas where water hemlock, nightshade, water drop wart, and laburnum bark have been brewed with nontoxic results?"

Knowing better than to doubt the importance of the seemingly random question, Michael promptly answered. "In wizarding communities in Atacama, Zin desert, Dasht-e Lut, the Sahara…" he trailed off as his quick mind made the connection between all the locations.

"They're all deserts," Goldstein softly whispered as their error finally dawned on him.

"Of course," Terry mumbled to himself, "those ingredients didn't brew properly because there was too much moisture in the air."

"And that botched the entire potion up," Corner added absently

Hermione nodded in confirmation.

Michael groaned as he ran a hand threw his raven locks. "Which means," he grumbled, "that we have to start the whole _bloody_ thing over."

"Cheer up chum," Terry's blue eyes twinkled cheerfully, "at least we know what we're doing this time around."

Quietly muttered curses were his only response.

"Bloody hell!" Three heads turned quickly towards Anthony, startled by his outburst.

Thinking that he'd discovered another botch up in their potion, Hermione urgently asked, "What's wrong?"

Grinning sheepishly, he waved off their concern. "It's nothing really," he assured them, "I just hadn't realized how much time had passed by."

Glaring slightly at him for the false alarm, the other three checked their own watches.

"Bloody hell!"

Time really _had _flown.

They madly dashed to store away their supplies and gather their book bags, none of them wanting to be late to class. "Next time," Hermione grumbled while putting away the potion ingredients, "we're setting a timer."

The others, caught up in their own tasks, distractedly grunted their agreement.

_Finally_ done, the frantic quartet dashed to the door, a faint hope of making it to class on time in them. Something, however, brought them to an abrupt halt.

Or rather, a _someone_.

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**Still not sure who I'll end up pairing Hermione with.**

**My stories tend to have a mind of their own, so I usually don't even try to predict what they'll do.**

**So feel free to give me your input, I'm open to persuasion.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Man, my inspiration's on a streak!**

**Two updates in pretty close succession! Yay me!**

**On another note, I noticed some spelling errors of mine in previous chapters.**

**I misspelled Gryffindor as 'Griffindor' twice and MacMillan as 'McMillan' once.**

**Oops!**

**Even though I've noticed, I'm too lazy to upload revisions just now.**

**Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm aware of my mistakes and I plan to correct them.**

**Just…not now. U-_-**

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Across the hall from a warded, unused classroom, a seething blonde reclined against the wall in a deceptively calm manner; his fierce silver eyes narrowed in fury. _What the __**bloody hell**_ _are they doing in there? _He thought with tightly grit teeth.

Those fucking _Ravenclaws_, a sneer graced his face as he thought of the weaker house, would regret acting so familiar with _his_ Hermione. They would pay dearly for daring to come near what belonged _solely _to **him**.

So _what_ if Hermione was currently under the delusion that they were no longer together? She would soon be made to see reason, be made to see that he would _never_ let her go.

She belonged at **his** side, _no one _else's; and, his glare darkened, he would make fucking sure those three bastards understood this by the time he was through with them.

Draco's fists clenched in rage as he thought over the weeks following their 'breakup'.

In their time as girlfriend and boyfriend, and even during the period he was still courting her, Hermione had strongly discouraged any males who took an interest in her.

She had politely, but firmly, turned down dates, become slightly cold to any over amorous men, and generally kept herself unavailable and off the market.

So he had grown accustomed to it, grown accustomed to not having any competition for her affections. Sure, he knew she was friends with Potty and Weasel, but she was never overly friendly with them while in his presence.

Draco was use to being the main man in her life, the sole object of her romantic interest; and he was damn happy not sharing.

That, however, had all changed.

Now, _now _Hermione not only tolerated the attentions of other males, she _welcomed _them.

And Draco _**hated**_ it.

He _**hated**_ the way she would faintly blush whenever a guy paid her a compliment, warmly smile whenever a male did some little task for her unasked, shyly accept going out on casual dates.

He _**hated**_ the way guys would touch her needlessly in a deceivingly innocent manner, the way their gazes lingered on her in the hall or classroom, the way they talked appreciatively of her to their friends.

Just _thinking _of it made his blood boil.

And the worst part of it all?

He could do nothing, _absolutely _**nothing**.

Well he was fucking tired of it, and he refused to stand on the sidelines as assholes made a pass at _his_ witch any longer. _Screw_ the bloody war and every _fucking_ person in it.

He was _**not**_ going to lose Hermione.

He couldn't, losing her would be like losing his sanity, like losing his fucking soul. She was his _everything_, and he'd rip anyone or anything that tried to take her from him to bloody shreds.

At the jostling of the doorknob, his mind snapped out of his musings. _About fucking time_.

The instant the three unsuspecting Ravenclaws stepped into the hallway, they were brutally slammed into the wall.

"_Pathetic_," aristocratic lips formed into a sneer as the Slytherin stalked towards their hapless forms, wand still raised from his previous attack. "But then again, what else can I expect from Ravenclaws?" He moved his arm slightly, poised for another curse.

Hermione, momentarily stunned by the unexpected attacked, finally sprung into action.

"What the _hell _do you think you're doing Malfoy?!" She immediately moved to stand between the enraged blonde and her three friends, wand ready to hex. "Have you finally gone mad?!"

The sight of her protecting the three miserable excuses for wizards made the jealous male even angrier, but he concealed it well. "Why such concern for Ravenclaws? Are they your _lovers_ Granger?" He grimaced at the notion, carefully masking his rage.

Her eyes widened with disbelief. "_That_ is none of your business Malfoy, and as Headgirl I care about the welfare of _all_ students." Amber eyes shone with anger, "I'm half tempted to turn you in, but I know you'd just weasel your way out of punishment. So I guess I'll just have to be satisfied with taking a hundred points from Slytherin."

Draco looked as if he could care less. "As you wish Granger, now if you'll be so kind, I have unfinished business with these three." A hard glint shone in his eyes.

"You're _daft_ if you think I'll just leave them. What did they even do to you?" Her brow furrowed in confusion, not knowing how her friends –all of who rarely crossed paths with Malfoy, much less talked to the blonde- could have possibly done anything to warrant his fury.

His face shadowed. "They made the mistake of messing with my most prized possession," he hissed.

The witch huffed in exasperation. _Why must he be so damn protective of all his possession? Honestly_. Sometimes the Slytherin reminded her of an ill-mannered three year old who pitched tantrums anytime others touched their toys.

But Draco never got this angry without reason, so her friends must have done something particularly offensive. For the life of her she didn't how they could have, they weren't spiteful and didn't particularly bear any grudge towards Malfoy or Slytherins in general.

Draco, however, would not attack unless provoked or in defense. That was the _only_ reason she was not going ballistic on him for blasting her friends.

Just as she opened her mouth to ask what had been done to the possession that he deemed so damn important so that perhaps, if appropriate, some sort of compensation or compromise might be reached, Blaise entered the hallway.

He raised an eyebrow at the prone forms of the Ravenclaws. "Is there a problem?"

Hermione had never been so happy to see the Italian. If anyone could talk reason into the stubborn, arrogant arse that was Malfoy, it was him.

Not that she couldn't handle the insufferable prat, but she wanted the issue cleared up as quickly as possible. Classes were about to start, and she would rather not exchange hexes with Draco as the hallway filled with students.

Not taking her eyes of the aggressive blonde, she gave a small smile to Blaise. "Yes, there is actually. Terry, Anthony, and Michael seem to have offended Malfoy. I was hoping you would talk reason to him so we can resolve this misunderstanding."

The Zabini glanced and Draco's clenched fists. "Misunderstanding?" he murmured, eyes contemplative. "I think I may have some idea of its cause."

He flashed Hermione a charming smile, "Why don't you patch these three up and head to class? I'll talk to Malfoy here for you."

She gave him a grateful look, cast a quick levitating spell on the three, and proceeded to do just that.

Draco was _not _pleased as he watched his prey be taken away. And, since Blaise was conveniently there and since he was pissed at him –for both earlier and for the little display with Hermione in the hallway-, he unleashed is on the Italian.

"Who the _hell_ do you think you are Zabini?" he snarled. Before he could continue his rant, and before any violence erupted, Blaise cut him off.

"You were jealous weren't you?" Ignoring Draco's startled look, he nodded to himself. "It all makes sense now. Your staring and bitchiness at breakfast, your sudden eagerness to be early to class, and this random attack on blokes you've never even spoken to. You, Draco Malfoy, like Hermione."

Draco's face was carefully neutral, as if carefully considering how much to reveal. To bloody hell with it, Zabini, in spite of their earlier fight, would never turn on him.

He raised a mocking brow, his customary sneer on his lips. "See, that's where you're wrong Zabini. I don't _like_ her, I fucking **love** her."

Blaise was surprised by his ready admission. _It seems I underestimated the depth of his feelings_. Blue eyes hardened, his plans would have to be revised.

"Then we have a problem Malfoy," he leaned against the wall casually, his guarded face turned towards the blonde.

"Oh?" Draco narrowed his eyes, "How so?"

Flinty eyes, with aggressive determination clearly visible, met his. "Because, I've already decided to make her mine."

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**Hmm…I really have nothing left to say.**

**Later**


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